Cash-register.



R. FIELD.

CASH REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1914.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

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R. FIELD.

CASH REGISTER.

APPLICATION man SEPT. 15. 1914.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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CASH REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15. 1914.

1,149,903. Patented Aug. 10,1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

I'VE/Emma 3mm COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c

R. FIELD.

CASH REGISTER.

APPLICATION HLED' SEPT. 15. 1914.

PatentedAug. 10, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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R. FIELD.

CASH REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1914.

1,149,903. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH CO.,\\'I\SHINGTON. D. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ROBERT FIELD, OF HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND.

CASH-REGISTER.

Application filed September 15, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT FIELD, a subjectof King George V of Great Britain, residing at Huddersfield, in thecounty of York, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cash-Registers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to cash registers of the type in which depressionof a key or keys causes the amount of the purchase to be moved up intoview of the purchaser and comprises the provision of an improved cashregister in which the number of keys required is minimized, themechanism simplified and cheapened and the amount of each purchaseexhibited in a novel and attractive manner.

According to my invention, I employ a series of sliding cards, boards orthe like having thereon representations of coins or other indicationsfor which the respective operative keys stand, either a singlerepresentation of the coin or amount of two or more representations ofincreasing amounts one above the other, each card or the like beingadapted to move or slide downwardly when the respective keys areoperated to bring the representations opposite a sight hole or space, acard or slide being movable vertically to present and then withdraw aword or indication designed-to draw attention to the said sight hole orspace and to the amount of the purchase brought into sight by theoperation of a key or keys.

In the means referred to the vertically movable slides or the like andtheir descent to exhibit the amount of the purchase to view, differ fromthe ordinary sale tickets which are moved upwardly when the respec tivekeys are actuated and I provide for the doubling or furthermultiplication of the amount which can be exhibited by any single slideor the like, a result which has not previously been obtained.

Novel means are provided to effect the step by step descent of thesliding cards and their restoration to normal position, and means arealso provided to effect the presentation and withdrawal, opposite andaway from the sight hole, of the device for at tracting the purchasersattention; to register the number of operations of each key; and toguard against fraud by insuring that once a key commences to move ineither direction the movement must be completed Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Serial No. 861,787.

before the parts can resume their normal positions.

In describing my invention I shall refer to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a cash regster constructedaccording to and embodymg my invention, part of the upper portion of thecasing being broken out for the sage of clearness; Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional side elevation of the register showing the parts in theirnormal positions; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the positions of theparts when a key has been depressed and has reached the downward limitof its movement; Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the means for insuringfull movement of a key; Fig. 5 is a detail showing a sliding card platedropped one step, and showing also the means for registering the numberof operations of a key as applied to those keys which are or may berequired to be actuated twice or more times in succession; Fig. 6 is adetail illustrating the method of raising the sliding cards to normalposition after they have been dropped by the actuation of their keys;Fig. 7 is a partial plan view of the mechanism; Fig. 8 is a detailshowing in rear elevation the sliding cards and plates and the guidestherefor, and Figs. 9 and 10 are details illustrating a modificationhereinafter referred to.

Referring to the drawings, the series of sliding cards or the likebearing representations of coins or other indications of given valuesare represented at 1, 1, and they are secured to respective metal orlike plates 2, 2, adapted to slide vertically between guides 3, 3,suitably supported within an inclosing casing 4. Each plate 2 has on oneface thereof a suitable number, in this instance three, of projectionsor ribs 2. Adjacent or opposite each plate is a suitable bracket 5supporting two horizontally slidablc has or latches 6, 6, each of whichhas a laterally projecting pin 7 extending through respective slots 8,8, in a T or double-armed lever 8, pivotally secured at 8 to the bracketand weighted at 8 on the side of the pivot opposite to the slots 8, 8.Normally, the weighted part of the lever causes it to move the uppersliding bar or latch 6 forwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and causes it toextend under the lowest projection 2 on its plate 2 and support saidplate in its uppermost or fully raised position.

A series of key levers 9, one fol each inprojection 2 on its respectivesliding plate and place the lower catch bar into the path of theprojections on the plate, so that'the said plate is permitted to drop acertain distance and be then supported by the lower catch bar as shownat Fig. 8, the removal of finger pressure from-the key lever per mittingthe latter to be returned by a spring 11, or by gravity, to itsnormalposition, in doing wnich the weightedlever S is released andcaused by the weight thereon to assume its original position, wherebythe upper catch bar (3 is moved back into a position beneath the next orsecond projection on the sliding plateand the lower catch bar iswithdrawn, so that the plate is allowed to drop the remainder of thedistance bei tween the first and second ribs or projections, and be thensupported by the top-- catch bar agaln in a position-one step lower thanits original. position. Successive actuations of a key lever allow itssliding plate to fall step by step and be supported by the engagement oftheupper catch bar with successive projections 2 as will be understood.This arrangement enables' me to provide for the exhibition opposite asight hole 12 of the amountfor which the key stands, or of an amountrepresenting two or more multiples-of such primary amount, bythepresentation opposite the sight. hole of a second or third portion. ofthe card 1. Each: sliding card has a key meehanism as above set forth:

Under the key levers 9 extends a roller or bar 13 supported at eachendin bearings in a frame 14 pivotally mounted. on arod 15 extending acrosstheregister and having side portions such as 14 which extend forwardlytoward the front of the-machine one at each side thereof. The framelatis returned to normal position by a spring or springs. The extremitiesof these side portions 14, 14, extend into the path of tumbler leverssuch as 16, pivotally mounted on respective side uprightssuch as 17adapted to slide on a guiderib 17 at each side of the machine.

may conveniently be termed the zero bar.

The depression of any one of the keylevers, rocks the frame 14 andcauses the for respective tumbler levers 16 and the latter,

The lower ends of the up" rights 17, 17, carry between them a cross bar18 which for the purposes of descriptionbeing held from movement in onedirection by the engagement of lateral pins such as 16 thereon with therespective uprights,

continued upward movement of the free ends of the side frames carriesthe uprights andaero bar upwardly for a given distance,

that i to say, until such sliding plates as may have been dropped, havebeen raised back to normal position, when, through the arc of movementdescribed by the said. side frames, the ends thereof pass clear of theextremities of the extensions 16' on the tumbler levers and allow theuprights and Zero bar to drop back to the normal or lowest position.Nhen the side frames or levers drop back to normal position, they rockthe tumbler levers on their pivots and pass beon the next depression ofa key.

At each side of the register I provide a lover or arm such as 19pivotally carried by a suitable bracket such as 20 and having I alaterally projecting pin such as 2-1 extending out into the path of anengaging mem ber on the respective side frame. The forward ends of thearms 19 are suitably connected, as by wires or the like such as 23, witha hollow sliding device 24, comprising a pair of bars or stripsextending one on each side of the sliding indicator cards 1. As the sideframes rise on depression of a key, the engaging members thereon arelifted away from the pins 21 on the levers 19, which are therefore leftfree to rock on their pivots. The weight of the sliding device Q l,either alone or assisted by a spring or springs causes it to descend andbe presented opposite the sight hole 12 as shown in Fig. 3. The downwardmotion of the device may be limited by the rear ends-of the levers orarms 19 contacting with the .of a purchaser to the space formed by thesight hole.

As the side frames descend, on release of the depressed key or keys, theengaging members 22 on said side frames contact with the pins 21 on thearms 19 and depress the rear ends of said arms thus causing the device2-1 to be elevated clear of the sight hole and withdrawn from view. Thispresentation and withdrawal of the device 21 for arrestin the )urchasersattention takes 0 place at each actuation of a key or keys, and

the withdrawal is not effected, as will be understood, until the slidingcard or cards corresponding to the key or keys depressed,

has or have been allowed to drop and present opposite the sight hole anindication of the amount being registered. Immediately the key or keysvis or are released and allowed to return to normal position, the device24: is withdrawn and, the attention of the purchaser having been alreadydirected to the sight hole by the presentation of the device, the recordor indication of the amount registered, which is exposed by the returnof the device 24- to normal position cannot fail to be observed.

In order to prevent any incomplete movement of the parts which mightlead to fraud, I provide each of the side frames 14" near its forwardend with a pivoted finger or catch such as 25, see Fig. 4, which isacted upon by springs such as 26 so as to be movable on its pivot withincertain limits. Opposite and in the path of each catch 25 is a serratedor toothed fixed segment 27 over the teeth of which the catch will rideidly in either direction of movement of the side frames. As the sideframes commence to rise 011 depression of a key, the engagement of thesegment with the catch tilts said catch to an angle as shown at Fig. 4,in which position it is held by the springs 26. If any attempt is madeto return the key lever be fore it has received its full'movement, thepoint of the catch 25 will engage with a tooth of the segment, and assaid finger cannot move any farther on its pivot in that direction, theparts are prevented from return movement and it is essential for the keyle ver to be actuated to its full extent to ad init of the partsreturning to normal posi tion. In like manner, on the descendingmovement of the side frames the finger is moved to the opposite angle byengagement with the segment and rides idly over the teeth as the framesdescend. Any at tempt to move the side frames back to abnormal positionprevious to reaching the full extent of their return movement isprevented by the finger or catch engaging a tooth of the segment andpreventing upward movement.

Since the warning de ice 2% is exposed to view immediately a keycommences its downward movement, the partial depression only of a key,and its release without having completed its full movement, fails toreturn the warning device to normal position. Another feature is thatthe catch 25 does not leave or move clear of the segment 27, in theadapted to actuate a counter or adding device 29 at each downwardmovement of the said plate to register the number of operations of thecorresponding key. For those plates whose cards only require to bedropped one step, the lever 28 may have a slot 28 in which registers apin on an arm 30 fast on the actuating spindle of the counter, as shownin Figs. 2, 3 and 7. In the case of those plates 2 whose cards or indicators are required to be capable of dropping two, three, or moretimes, the counter spindle may have a star or like wheel 31 as shown inFig. 5, and the arm or lever 28 have a number of segmental teeth 28adapted to engage the teeth of the star wheel and give a partialrotation thereto at each descent of the plate. when the lever 30 or thestar-wheel 31 are keyed on the shaft of the counter, so that the saidshaft is oscillated back and forth, the counter is provided with anyapproved mechanism, such as a ratchet wheel and pawl, which will permitthe counting disks to be revolved in one direction only. The countersmay regis ter say, up to five figures as shown, and by the subtraction,from the recorded figures, of the figures previously recorded in theseveral counters, the precise amount which has been taken over anyperiod can readily be ascertained. In the instance shown, the registerhas eight keys, representing ten shillings, two shillings, one shilling,six pence, threepence, twopence, one penny and one halfpenny. Of these,only the first four need have their cards provided with more than thekey value amount they represent and I show these four as having twoadditional indications, representing respectively double and treble thekey value. By varying combinations in the use of the keys any purchaseup to double or more of the total represented by the face value of saidkeys or combinations thereof can be obtained. It will be understood, ofcourse, that I may vary the numbers or values of keys employed, and thatany or all of the keys may be arranged to be actuated successively togive an indication of as many times its face value as may be desired.

The cards r indicators 1 are preferably printed, impressed or otherwisemarked with more or less exact representations of a coin or coins to theamount required, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, or these may be given infigures or otherwise. An additional or no sale key 32 is provided, thelever of which is simply mounted loosely on the pivot rod 10 and has noother action beyond rocking the frame I-l and actuating the zero bar.This key enables any exposed cards or indicators to be withdrawn from'iew and raised back to normal position, and also enables the sideframes 14 to be maintained in their raised position as shown in Fig. 3

to permit of any key or combination of keys P being actuated a numberoftimes 1n succession.

Ordinarily the actuation of a key lever" lifts the zero bar andraises-any droppedcards back to their highest positions: If therefore,the'same key is to be depressed two or more times successively to drop acard two or three steps, the sidefralnes are held by the key 32 ininoperative position until the full amount desiredhas been registered,when the-key 32 is released and the side frames drop back beneath-thetumbler levers ready to lift the zero bar and clear the sight hole atthe next key actuation, to allow of the exhibition of the amount beingregistered.

WVith the above described arrangement,

the extent of movement of the keys must be considerable, in order toadmit, in the case of a single actuation of a key, of the side framesbeing moved the distance neces* sary to elevate any cards dropped at theInorder "that the previous registration. movement of a key may only besmall and repetition of that key be thereforerendered quicker, I mayadopt the arrangement shown at Figs. 9 and 10. Inthis instance, the keylevers are arranged to haveonly the amount of movement necessary tooperate the levers 8. Normally the key levers rest on the upper surfaceof a grooved bar and are lockedthereby. -The no sale described, the nosale key lever was only operated to clear the sight hole, or to permitof successive actuationsof a keyor key". In the present-instance, sincethe no sale key alone controls the zero bar, such key' is depressed atevery registration, and held.

depressed if a key or series of keys is to be actuated two or more timessuccessively. The keys of the register are preferably formed, as shownat J in Fig. 7, as facsimiles of the coins or amounts they represent,and the corresponding cards lalso preferably bear facsimilerepresentations of the coin or amount and if necessary of multi plesthereof. This arrangement facilitates manipulation of the keys and alsopresents to the purchaser a more impressive or attrace tive indicationof the amount registered.

The details of construction andarrange ment of the parts can-be variedor modified :ithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention,and the register can be' made of various dimensions according to thenumber of keys employed.

I-Iaving'thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by LettersPa-tent is In a cash register, the combination, with.an indicating slide provided with projections," of a pairof latchesarranged to slide in opposite directions crosswise of the said slide andto engage alternately with the said projections so that the slide isconstrained to descend in successive steps, and a key'lever andintermediate mechanism for reciprocating the said pair of latches.

' with' a vertical indicating slide provided with projections, of asupport,- a pair of latches arranged one above the other and slidablehorizontally in the support and adapted to engage with the saidprojections,

-a pivoted tumbling lever operatively connected with the latches andconstraining them to slide in opposite directions, and a pivoted keylever for operating thetumbhng lever.

8. In a cash register, the combination, with an indicating slideprovided with projections, of a pair of latches arranged to slidecrosswise of the said slide and to engage with its projections, saidlatches being provided with laterally projecting pins, a pivotedtumbling lever provided with slots which engage with the said pins sothat the latches are constrained to slide in opposite directions, meansfor moving the tumbling lever automatically in one direction, and apivoted key lever operating to move the tun'ibling lever in the reversedirection.

4i. In a cash register, the combination, with an automaticallydepressible indicating slide provided with projections, of a latchmechanism adapted to engage with the said projections and'normallysupporting the slide,and a .key lever operatively engaging with thelatch mechanism and permitting the slide to descend step by step atsuccessive downstrokes of the key lever.

In a cash register, the combination, with a series of verticallyslidable slides, latch mechanisms for supporting the slides, and aseries of pivoted key levers operatively engaging with the respectivelatch mechanisms; of a Zero bar for raising the slides, pawls pivoted atthe end portions of the zero bar, and a pivoted frame operated by anyone of the key levers and provided with arms which en age with the saidpawls and raise the zero bar to reset the slides, and which alsoliberate the pawls to let the zero bar descend, during the first part ofthe down stroke of the key lever and before it aetuates the latchmechanism and releases the slide pertaining to it.

(3. In a cash register, the combination,

with a series of vertically slidable indicating slides, of a zero barfor raising the slides, pawls pivoted at the end portions of the zerobar, and a pivoted frame provided with arms which when raised engagewith the pawls and raise them and the Zero bar to reset the slides, thenautomatically release the pawls and permit the zero bar to descend, andwhich finally repass the said pawls when permitted to descend to theiroriginal positions.

7. In a cash register, the combination, with a series of verticallyslidable indicating slides, of a zero bar for raising the slides, pawlspivoted at the end portions of the zero bar, a pivoted frame providedwith arms which when raised engage with the pawls and raise them and thezero bar to I reset the slides, curved rack bars arranged concentricwith the pivot of the said arms, and reversible spring-controlledcatches pivoted to the said arms and engaging with the rack bars andpreventing the arms from making incomplete strokes.

8. In a cash register, the combination, with a series of indicatingslides each provided with projections, latch mechanisms adapted toengage with the said projections and normally supporting the slides, andpivoted key levers controlling the latch mechanisms; of a pivoted frameoperated by any one of the key levers, a shutter sliding parallel to theindicating slides, pivoted levers and rods operatively connecting theshutter with the said frame, said shutter being adapted to descendautomatically when any one of the key levers is depressed, and beingraised by the said frame and levers when the key lever is not depressed.

9. In a cash register, the combination, with a series of indicatingslides each provided with projections, latch mechanisms adapted toengage with the said projections and normally supporting the slides, andpivoted key levers controlling the latch mechanisms; of a pivoted frameprovided with a crossbar at one end portion which is arranged under thecorresponding end portions of the key levers, said frame having armswhich project parallel to the other end por tions of the key levers, ashutter sliding parallel to the indicating slides, pivoted levers havingprojections on one end portion which are pressed downwardly by the saidarms when the key levers are raised, and rods connecting the other endportions of the pivoted lovers with the shutter, said shutter beingpermitted to descend automatically when any key lever is depressed, andbeing raised when the key lever ascends.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ROBERT FIELD.

\Vitnesses:

lVAL'rER ScnormLD, ELsm M. GLEDHILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

